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What Is Selenium?

The Foundation of Web Test Automation

Selenium is one of the most widely used open-source test automation tools for web applications. Since its introduction in 2004, Selenium has become an industry standard, especially in large-scale and enterprise-level projects.

The main purpose of Selenium is to automate user interactions in a browser just as a real user would. By doing so, it helps teams:

  • Reduce manual testing effort
  • Automate regression tests
  • Detect bugs earlier in the development cycle
  • Improve overall software quality

One of Selenium’s greatest strengths is that it is not a single tool, but rather an entire ecosystem.

Why Is Selenium So Widely Used?

Selenium’s popularity comes from several key advantages:

  • Open-source and free
  • Backed by a large global community
  • Supports multiple programming languages
  • Works across different browsers
  • Proven reliability in enterprise projects
  • Highly customizable

However, Selenium truly shines when it is used with the right architecture and best practices.